🎅 Santa’s Grotto & Christmas Lunch at The George

The magic of Christmas is coming to The George! 🎄

Join us on Sunday, 6 December for a festive family day out as we welcome Santa Claus to the Club!

Children can visit Santa in his very own grotto, and enjoy a delicious Christmas lunch with all the festive trimmings. It’s the perfect way to get the whole family into the Christmas spirit, with plenty of festive fun and memories to be made.

So bring the little ones along, dust off those Christmas jumpers and join us for a wonderful afternoon of Santa, good food and Christmas cheer! 🎅🎄

To Book Click Here

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It was a great evening in the Club last Friday, with plenty of activity and a wonderful atmosphere throughout. Members enjoyed an Irish Whiskey Tasting with Brian in the Library, which proved to be a very enjoyable and informative evening. The Scratch Snooker Final also took place, with Michael O’Connor claiming victory against Marcus Pearson after a great match. Congratulations to Michael, and many thanks to everyone who took part and helped make it such an enjoyable evening at the Club.

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Calling all sailors! Please see the Notice of Race below for an upcoming event which promises to be a great addition to the sailing calendar. We encourage our Class Captains to circulate the details among their fleets and invite any interested sailors to get involved and take part.

please see report 

LDYC Freshwater One Design Keelboat Regatta 2026 NOR V1 (002)

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The event will feature internationally renowned yachting, marine and wildlife photographer Rick Tomlinson presenting his acclaimed talk, High Latitudes.

Widely regarded as one of the world’s leading sailing photographers, Rick is best known for capturing iconic moments from the Whitbread Round the World Race and the Volvo Ocean Race. During this fascinating presentation, he will share stunning imagery and stories from some of the most spectacular and remote regions on earth, including the Arctic waters of Svalbard and the vast wildlife colonies of South Georgia

Guests will enjoy:

• Rick Tomlinson’s acclaimed High Latitudes presentation
• Extraordinary sailing and wildlife photography
• A light sailing supper
• An opportunity to support an important local sailing initiative

Tickets are €35 per person, with all proceeds going towards Sailability’s efforts to purchase a new Hansa 303 accessible sailboat for the 2027 season. The programme has already raised significant funds towards the project and this event will help bring the goal within reach

Sailability provides opportunities for people of all abilities to experience the enjoyment, freedom and benefits of sailing. By attending this event, guests will be directly supporting the continued growth and accessibility of the programme.

We encourage RSGYC members to support this excellent initiative, whether by attending on the night or by making a donation.

Event Details

Date: Thursday, 5 November
Time: 7.00pm
Venue: Royal Irish Yacht Club, Dún Laoghaire
Tickets: €35 including light sailing supper

We hope many members will take the opportunity to enjoy what promises to be a captivating evening while supporting a very worthwhile cause.

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WeSail Celebrates Another Fantastic Season on the Water

WeSail brought another memorable summer sailing season to a close with a lively end-of-season gathering on Monday, 24 August. After 14 weeks of excellent sailing, the group celebrated in style with the presentation of jackets, polo shirts and caps, kindly funded by the ISA.

There was a wonderful atmosphere on the night, with everyone in high spirits as the Commodore joined the group for the presentation. It was a fitting way to mark the end of a season that once again showed the very best of club life, friendship and time spent together on the water.

WeSail has been running at the Royal St George Yacht Club for more than 20 years. Each Monday evening during the summer season, adults with intellectual disabilities come together to enjoy sailing, supported by a dedicated team of volunteers, instructors and club members. It remains one of the warmest and most joyful groups in the club.

This summer was particularly kind to the group, with sailing outside the harbour possible on most evenings and only one cancellation due to bad weather. On those occasional shoreside nights, the junior room was full of friendly competition, with everyone keen to claim the Wall Challenge title. This year, Connor Brown retained the honour and remains the one to beat.

The group is deeply grateful for the continued support of the club, the Commodore and the Flag Officers. Thanks also go to Jamie and Brian, with a special mention for Jack and Dylan, who provided the welcome opportunity for a cup of tea and a chat after sailing. Daniel and Josh in the boathouse also kept a watchful eye on the group as they made their way around the water.

A special word of thanks goes to Charlie Lydon and his fantastic group of instructors, two of whom sailed with WeSail every Monday. The group had the chance to meet many of the instructors during the season, and each one quickly became part of the WeSail family.

Most of all, WeSail depends on the many volunteers who turn up every Monday evening, year after year, and make this wonderful programme possible. Whether sailing, helping in a RIB, supporting from a kayak or occasionally ending up in the water themselves, the volunteers take part with great enthusiasm and get as much from the group as the athletes do.

WeSail will be back on the water in May 2027. The group would be delighted to welcome more volunteers who would like to get involved and help keep this wonderful club tradition going.

e than 20 years. Each Monday evening during the summer season, adults with intellectual disabilities come together to enjoy sailing, supported by a dedicated team of volunteers, instructors and club members. It remains one of the warmest and most joyful groups in the club.

This summer was particularly kind to the group, with sailing outside the harbour possible on most evenings and only one cancellation due to bad weather. On those occasional shoreside nights, the junior room was full of friendly competition, with everyone keen to claim the Wall Challenge title. This year, Connor Brown retained the honour and remains the one to beat.

The group is deeply grateful for the continued support of the club, the Commodore and the Flag Officers. Thanks also go to Jamie and Brian, with a special mention for Jack and Dylan, who provided the welcome opportunity for a cup of tea and a chat after sailing. Daniel and Josh in the boathouse also kept a watchful eye on the group as they made their way around the water.

A special word of thanks goes to Charlie Lydon and his fantastic group of instructors, two of whom sailed with WeSail every Monday. The group had the chance to meet many of the instructors during the season, and each one quickly became part of the WeSail family.

Most of all, WeSail depends on the many volunteers who turn up every Monday evening, year after year, and make this wonderful programme possible. Whether sailing, helping in a RIB, supporting from a kayak or occasionally ending up in the water themselves, the volunteers take part with great enthusiasm and get as much from the group as the athletes do.

WeSail will be back on the water in May 2027. The group would be delighted to welcome more volunteers who would like to get involved and help keep this wonderful club tradition going.

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UPMC Sessions at The Royal St. George Yacht Club

Three Free Events for Our Members

We are delighted to announce a special series of health, wellness and performance events, kindly hosted by our sponsors UPMC, exclusively for Royal St. George Yacht Club members.

Across three sessions, UPMC’s expert sports medicine, physiotherapy and performance teams will cover everything from everyday health and wellbeing to elite sporting performance, injury prevention and recovery.

☕ Health & Wellness Coffee Morning

Friday 9th October | 10.30am
For our Senior Members

Our first event is a relaxed coffee morning and health & wellness workshop aimed specifically at our senior members.

Join us for coffee and an informal session with the UPMC team, covering practical advice and guidance on maintaining good health and wellbeing. It will be an opportunity to hear from healthcare professionals, ask questions and pick up some useful tips that can be incorporated into everyday life.

A lovely morning to meet with fellow members, enjoy a coffee and focus on your health and wellbeing.

⛵ Performance, Concussion & Recovery

Tuesday 20th October | 7.00pm
For Elite Juniors, Coaches & Parents

Our second event is designed specifically for our Elite Junior sailors, with coaches and parents also welcome.

This practical and interactive workshop will focus on helping our young sailors train safely, perform at their best and recover effectively.

The UPMC team will cover the importance of recognising and responding to concussion, including symptoms, return-to-play principles and why athletes should never play through symptoms.

There will be a focus on strength and conditioning for sailing, looking at core strength, stability, balance, mobility and power, followed by a practical demonstration of exercises suitable for junior sailors.

The session will also explore recovery and training load, including sleep, hydration, nutrition, mobility and rest, with practical techniques that juniors can use after training, competition and travel.

The evening will finish with an open Q&A with the UPMC team and Strength & Conditioning Coach, giving juniors, parents and coaches the opportunity to ask questions about performance, injuries, concussion and recovery.

💪 Women in Sailing – Stronger, Healthier, Better

Thursday 26th November | 7.00pm
For Women Involved In Sailing – Sailors, coaches and club members

The third event in the series is dedicated to women involved in sailing, including sailors, coaches and club members.

Hosted by the UPMC Sports Medicine and Sports Surgery Clinic team, this session will look at strength, recovery and injury prevention specifically for women in sailing.

The workshop will explore how strength training can improve sailing performance while helping to protect against injury, with advice on building strength and power safely and incorporating it into a sailing programme.

There will also be a practical focus on injury prevention, including mobility, stability and movement quality, with particular attention to common areas of concern such as the shoulders, lower back, hips and knees.

Members will have the opportunity to take part in a practical strength and mobility session, followed by advice on recovery, including sleep, nutrition, hydration, rest and managing training load.

The event will also feature an Ask the UPMC Doctors Q&A, providing an opportunity to ask questions around injuries, rehabilitation, pain, strength training, recovery and returning to sailing following injury.

TO BOOK ANY OF THE EVENTS CLICK HERE

A Special Member Benefit

We would like to thank UPMC for generously hosting these three events and for supporting the health, wellbeing and sporting performance of our members.

Whether you’re looking to stay active and healthy, support a young sailor or improve your own performance on the water, these sessions offer a great opportunity to learn from leading health and sports medicine professionals

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We are delighted to share details of a very special evening in Dún Laoghaire in support of Irish offshore sailor Pam Lee, as she prepares to take on the legendary Route du Rhum.

Pam will depart Saint-Malo on 1 November to race solo across the Atlantic, becoming the first Irish sailor to compete in the Route du Rhum, in a field where only around 7% of competitors are women.

When opportunities in offshore sailing were difficult to access, Pam created #EmpowHer, building her own pathway onto the water and helping challenge the barriers facing women in the sport. She has now been appointed an Ambassador for the Atlantic Youth Trust, using her journey to inspire the next generation of Irish sailors.

To help give Pam the final push towards the start line, we would love Royal St George Yacht Club members to join us for a special fundraising evening:

Tuesday, 6 October | 6.30pm
National Maritime Museum, Dún Laoghaire
Entertainment | Drinks | Nibbles | Pam’s Story

BOOK YOUR TICKET NOW

Pam has already secured significant backing, including support from DFDS and Ecocem, but further support is needed as she prepares for Saint-Malo.

If you cannot attend on the evening but would still like to support Pam’s campaign, donations of any amount are very welcome.

MAKE A DONATION

Pam’s ambition reflects everything we want to encourage in the next generation – courage, resilience, adventure and the confidence to take on something bigger than yourself.

We would be delighted to see members of the Royal St George Yacht Club there on 6 October to get behind Pam as she prepares to make Irish sailing history.

Please book now and join us for what promises to be a fantastic evening.

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Book Here

It’s time to choose the movie for our Family Social on Friday 2nd October. Voting opens tomorrow.

The evening will feature the winning film, plus a disco and tabletop games running alongside.

🎬 Join the parents’ WhatsApp group to vote:
https://chat.whatsapp.com/EdoVlYRV9Fg45h4KeHC4Hh

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The Summer Parking season concludes on September 30th,  we ask that you start making your boat removal plans so that the RSGYC deck is clear for Lift Out. All boats (except those in racks) should be removed by the evening of Sunday 4th of October, to facilitate Lift Out on the 10th of October.

The Boathouse will be commencing lifting boats and taking trailers and cradles onto the deck from the 5th of October, so it is requested that your boat(s) is removed this weekend. From the 5th, the yard changes from boat storage into a working boat yard with trailers and cradles being moved about, and we cannot be liable for any damage that may be caused to boats due to this. 

Any unauthorised boats remaining on the RSGYC deck in October will lose future parking privileges and be subject to a non- removal and relocation fee of €150. 

Winter Dinghy Parking- commences on Friday 16th October. Due to the limited availability of spaces on the deck for the winter, there will be winter dinghy parking on the deck only for the following groups of boat owners:

1. Boats that are entered into the DBSC Frostbite series

2. Boats that are signed up for the RSGYC Junior, Youth or Adult winter training programs

3. Others- boats that will be actively sailed (such as high-performance training campaigns etc.)

4. Racked Optimists, Waszps or Lasers

If your boat does not fall under the above categories we will have no capacity to store it. 

For those that wish to avail of the parking and who are part of groups 1 – 4 above. Please remember that Winter Dinghy Parking is only available for those that will be actively sailing.

The completion of a winter parking application does not guarantee a space. To avoid disappointment, please do not apply for a space if your boat will not be sailed.

Winter Dinghy Parking Applications can be completed using THIS LINK.

Questions or comments? Please email the Sailing Office. 

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The programme requires commitment from both sailors and parents. Sailors are asked to commit to training over the winter period, sometimes in adverse weather conditions, attend every scheduled training session possible, arrive on time and motivated to participate. Parents are asked to ensure that they respond to attendance polls, to allow for coaches to plan accordingly, provide their sailor with the required equipment for their boat and ensure they attend sessions.

A shore duty rota will be issued and each family are asked to cover their assigned slot. If you are unavailable on that day, it is your responsibility to swap with another family and inform one of the organisers (Fiona Ryan, Sophie Crinion or Phil Lawton).

Mid-session arrivals/departures disrupts safety, focus and coaching on the water. We ask tjhat if possible to avoid this or in the event that your sailor needs an exemption please vet any adjustment with the coach in advance. Any sailor joining/departing the group on the water must be accompanied by a safety rib, coach or parent for handover. It’s important that this is arranged without disruption to coaching.

The coaching this year is being led by Johnny Ducan and supported by Peter McCann, Rian Geraghty O’Donnell and others. The first term of GOATs will mainly focus on boat handling, boat speed etc while more focus on racing and strategy/tactics will be placed in term 2. A lot of which will change depending on weather conditions week by week. Further, more indepth information will be provided by coaches.

The programme is split into 2 terms, from now until Christmas, and the second term from January to April. After Youth Nationals, the summer programme will kick in (pre-event clinics and support etc)
Each term is charged seperately, and there is the option to pay in 2 installments, however, sailors are expected to commit to the full term.

While all this information sounds very serious, the GOATs programme is so beneficial to sailors who engage in it. The more the sailor puts into their training, the more they get out of it. Although some days are tough and take encouragement to get out of bed to be down at the club on a cold winter’s morning, the sailors have a lot of fun, make really close friendships and have a super time both on and off the water. The tuition they receive from our top class coaches, the time on the water and the large fleet racing, will benefit them in any boat that they will sail in their future. The GOATs programme is the envy of many clubs around the country.

We look forward to welcoming your sailor on board and we are sure they are going to have a wonderful winter of sailing and fun.

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